


Right Hand Records

by Dragonfire2lm



Series: Right Hand Recollections [3]
Category: Henry Stickmin Series (Video Games)
Genre: Copperright, M/M, Right Hand Recollections, Time Loop, Tumblr Ask Box Fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-15 08:46:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29556531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragonfire2lm/pseuds/Dragonfire2lm
Summary: The chronological events of The Right Hand Recollections Tumblr Ask Blog. Please do not ask questions in the comments. If you want to take part in the Ask, go to the tumblr.Reading the previous two fics in this series is necessary.
Relationships: Reginald Copperbottom/Right Hand Man/Henry Stickmin
Series: Right Hand Recollections [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2163750
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	1. Something Has Awoken: The First Message

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The "official" start of the Right Hand Recollections Tumblr.
> 
> https://askrighthandrecollections.tumblr.com/
> 
> Each chapter will be a compilation of asks... you know ,assuming I get any. Please go to the blog to ask questions.

Mid-winter in Australia didn’t have snow. But that didn’t mean it still wasn’t cold for the woman in her late twenties as she sat in the blue armchair in her loungeroom, the warm air from the wall mounted air-conditioner and the heat the laptop on the pillow on her lap were the only source of warmth she had.

Black sweatpants, a white turtleneck top and a pair of fuzzy pink socks helped keep the winter chill at bay. Her long orange hair was tied back in a low ponytail, grey eyes peering at the information displayed onscreen through a pair of dark blue glasses. An open tab on the device showed a black screen and a few pinpricks of light along with a small text box of data.

> _Anomalies Detected_
> 
> _Status: External_
> 
> _Procedure: Observe._

She blinked.

“Oh look at you,” she cooed in wonder. “Hullo, you friendly? I hope so.”

She sighed. “A hundred and twenty-nine years and now I’m talking to myself… Maybe I’ve been alone too long.”

She looked to her left. A coffee table was right by her chair, upon which was a framed photo of a younger version of herself with two men around her age. In the photo, she wore a long, dark blue coat and matching top hat. Both matched the style of the dark red coat and black, wide brimmed hat of the male in the photo with a red moustache.

“…One of these days I should go bug Red…” She mused and ran a hand through her ponytail. “Probably shouldn’t, he has his own life now, doesn’t need me.”

The sound of her mobile rang and she fished her mobile out of the pocket of the blue, CCC uniform jacket having off the back of her chair.

“Lora Wright speaking.” She said as she answered.

The voice on the other end was heavily distorted. _“We’ve identified the internal anomaly. Sorry but, you’re on your own for this one. Sending you the file now.”_

“…Understood.”

The phone call, as brief as she was left her annoyed as she frowned at the data on screen. It was a document, one that showed all publicly available data for the individual in question. Lora stared, blinking stupidly as she reread the name on file.

“You’ve got to be _kidding me_ ,” she exclaimed. “This is bull crap, they can’t be serious…”

As she read more and more of the information she’d been provided, Lora felt worry claw its way out of the depths of her tired soul.

“Well shit.” She swore and shut down her laptop, placing it on the coffee table beside her. Clambering out of her seat she left the room through a doorway into a small, barely furnished bedroom. The same dark blue coat from the photo was draped over the bed and the very same hat took pride of place hanging off the bedpost.

The hat had a white feather attached to the side of it. She moved at a brisk, nervous pace as she walked over to nightstand by her bed and rummaged through as drawer to pull out a wireless, black and blue headset.

She took a deep breath as she sat on the edge of her bed, carefully holding the delicate piece of equipment. She put the headset on and pressed a button on the side.

She cleared her throat. “Burt?”

“ _Woah, Bluebird?”_ Burt Curtis, head of Toppat communications, almost sounded happy to hear from her.

“Yeah. Listen, I’ve come across a bit of a problem… Is Reginald still the chief?”

_“Uh, no. Some guy called Henry Stickmin is.”_

“Bugger… Don’t worry about it, I’ll sort this out myself.”

_“So…Are you in trouble?”_

“Uh…Not yet?” she replied, and she heard Burt sigh. “No seriously, I just happen to get my mitts on some sensitive information and if my boss puts two-and-two together I could _potentially_ be in trouble.”

The higher ups at the CCC weren’t exactly known for fact checking. They hadn’t caught on that she had personal history with her latest target (and that was an understatement), if they _did,_ she could wind up nose deep in CCC security measures and her own private cell as opposed to the house in the middle of nowhere that she currently had the freedom to work from.

 _“You need clan protection,”_ Burt deadpanned. _“I’m alerting the chief.”_

“Wait no, Burt-”

The line went dead, and she took the headset off, letting it sit on the bed beside her.

“Goddamn it…”

She got to her feet in one smooth motion. A determined glint in her eyes. “I’m not a goddamn damsel. _I_ can rescue myself,” She slipped on a pair of battered sneakers that lay by the doorway, grabbed her coat, putting it on and picked up the top hat.

Dusting it off with one hand, she put it on.

“Okay, coat, hat… Laptop!” she decided and grabbed the laptop bag hanging off the doorknob.

She marched back into lounge, unplugging the device in question, and put it in her bag. She checked it was firmly secure before closing and slinging it over her left shoulder.

“Now, where’d I put it?” she wondered, looking around the barely furnished house for something else. “I did bring it with me when I left, didn’t I?”

She had to move quickly; she’d been relocated enough times to know the elite agents worked _fast_. Her contact in the American Branch would have already sent the file to his boss as well as her own and it would only be a matter of time before someone with enough braincells figured out they had sent her after her own brother.

She could trick their scanners only by the fact they hadn’t known what to _look for_. But now they did, and she was struggling to keep herself from panicking because it was _brother and how on Earth was she going to explain this to him?_

Behind her armchair was a cardboard box. Lora walked over and opened it, looking around until she pulled out a dark red notebook with no identifying marks on the cover save for a single, golden stylised heart.

“Perfect! This should cause just enough chaos to keep them off my tail.” Lora said with a grin as grey magic swirled around her fingertips. She pulled a pen out from the inside of her coat and scribbled something onto an empty page. “You lot better be friendly, you hear me? Don’t give Red a hard time.”

Her power swelled, and the book vanished in a flash of light. Lora grinned proudly at herself.

* * *

Something landed with a quiet _thud_ onto the floor.

Right snapped to alertness, slowly sitting up and peering around the room. Upon spotting something on the floor by his desk, he unplugged himself from the charging station, got up, and trudged over to the object in question.

An unfamiliar notebook lay open on the floor. He could see some writing in it and the enhanced vision of his cybernetic eye was able to read it clearly.

> _Red, say hi to my new friends!_

He’d know that chicken-scratch script anywhere.

_Lora?_

Turning the book over in his hands, he could see nothing out of the ordinary. That is, until he checked the inside of the cover. Runes of glowing grey magic were inscribed along the edges of the book’s cover. Right’s knowledge of magic was a little rusty, but he knew these runes, had watched Lora draw them into every spare set of notebooks they owned back when they were kids.

What would be written in one, would appear in the other.

The warning that his cybernetics weren’t fully charged flashed in his left eye. Right was too tired to deal with this, he tossed the book onto his desk and shambled back to bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bio time!
> 
> Lora Wright
> 
> The Temporal and Magical Anomaly Specialist in the Australian Branch of the CCC. She dislikes her job but it was either accept the promotion or be sent to The Wall.


	2. Words on a Page 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first round of asks from the tumblr blog.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Go to the tumblr if you'd like to participate, I update the tumblr and this fic at the same time.
> 
> Copy and paste the following link into your web browser.
> 
> https://askrighthandrecollections.tumblr.com/

Right’s brow furrowed as he stared at the newly acquired notebook. Upon the page just below Lora’s hastily written note were more messages. The penmanship differed from the familiar scrawl of his sister’s and he had to fight the urge to bring this to the clan’s attention.

For a man that spent so long reliving his life, he was at a bit of a loss when faced something so startlingly different. Wary, he grabbed a pen and looked at the messages.

> _eevee-nerdy-musical-girl,_
> 
> _Hello Right how are you and the rest of the clan doing?_

He twirled the pen around as he thought how to respond. From what he could see, not only were these people aware of his status as a Toppat, but they knew about the time loop. Perhaps that was why Lora had sent him the book?

Right had a hunch his sister was just as caught up in this as he was. With that in mind, he put pen to paper.

> _You lot better not rat us out._
> 
> _I’m doing alright I suppose, we had a mission a couple of nights ago, a few of the crew got banged up. So the “chief” has given us a few days to rest up and let the men heal._

His bitterness towards Henry wasn’t helped by the next message.

> _Anon,_
> 
> _Hia! So, Right, what are your feelings on the timelines when Henry's works for the government instead of siding with the clan?_

“What do you think?” he muttered.

> _I’d like it if he chose a side and stuck to it. Still don’t like him no matter what side of the law he’s on though._

Henry had been instrumental to the numerous times the clan had fallen in the years Right had relived. He made it no secret he disliked him, but whenever Henry became the chief, Right tolerated him for the sake of the clan’s future.

For as brief a time as he got to witness it.

> _Anon,_
> 
> _Hey Right Hand Man! Don’t Get So Werided Out By These Sudden Messages Appering In This Notebook! Also, What Were You And Lora Like When You Were Younger, If You Don’t Mind Me Asking._

“How am I not gonna get weirded out by people sendin’ me messages in one of my sister’s old books…”

Still, the question called forth memories Right had thought he had long forgotten, both good and bad.

> _When we were younger?_
> 
> _Lora was bright, imaginative, sensitive._
> 
> _And had one hell of a temper. She wasn’t the violent sort, would never think to get physical even at her most furious, and there wasn’t much that did get her pissed._
> 
> _Except when it came to bullying. She had a sort of righteous fury that drove her throughout our teenage years, because kids are evil, and she was different._
> 
> _We both were, but the little shits learned not to mess with me, got into a few fights as a kid._
> 
> _Aside from people being morons, Lora and I kept to ourselves, got decent grades, and practiced our magic in secret. Magic is a rare thing nowadays, not many people have it, and those that do have to be registered and monitored by their respective governments._
> 
> _We joined the Toppats as soon as we graduated high school thanks to an uncle who had a place in the clan at the time._

Right stared at the page, confident that he had satisfied their curiosity without endangering the clan. He’d keep an eye on them though, couldn’t be too careful given this new turn of events.

He tucked the book into a pocket on the inside of his coat along with a spare ballpoint pen as he rose from his seat.

He had a clan meeting to get to.


	3. The Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To take part in the ask blog, copy and paste the link below into your web browser and read the rules on the pinned post.
> 
> https://askrighthandrecollections.tumblr.com/

The sound of tinkling bells came from Right’s coat pocket as the cyborg headed towards the boardroom. He blinked and wordlessly pulled out then notebook and pen.

> _donttalkmeangy,_
> 
> _RHM, you ever thought about discussing the whole time loop thing with Henry?_

“An’ what good would that do?” Right grumbled and wrote his reply.

> _If you know about the time loop, then you must have an idea of how difficult Stickmin can be. He does whatever benefits him and nothing else._
> 
> _I’m not going to risk him screwing us over even more than already does by not knowing._
> 
> _Besides, I don’t trust him enough for that, he has to earn that right, and as far as I’m concerned, he won’t._

Right _tolerated_ Henry, for the sake of the clan, for Reginald. That didn’t mean he had to like the guy.

He walked into the boardroom to find Reginald and Henry already there, along with Burt Curtis, the head of Communications.

He looked over at Reginald, who shrugged, just as in the dark as he was. Right took a seat next to his partner as Henry gestured for Burt to take the floor.

Burt rubbed the back of his neck. “So uh, last night I got an emergency transmission from Bluebird.”

He saw Reginald stiffen beside him, Right himself leaned forward, paying close attention.

“She in trouble?” he asked, and Burt nodded.

“Yeah, seems like it… Are we going to go find her?”

Henry cleared his throat. “Uh, who?”

Reginald picked up on his confusion. “Ah, Bluebird is a former member of the clan, our magic expert. If she got in contact with us then she may be looking to re-join us for protection.”

“She didn’t want to leave,” Right added. “There were… extenuating circumstances.”

Henry nodded slowly, raising his hands to sign his response.

(You think we should find her?)

Right nodded. “Reginald an’ I knew her back in the day, we can track her down an’ bring her back into the clan before the authorities get their hands on her.”

Henry hummed in thought and nodded.

(I’m coming with you)

Right sighed. “I don’t think that’s the best idea.”

“Why not?” Henry asked, brow raised.

 _Because you’d remind her of Terrence._ Right thought and before he could talk the chief down, Reginald beat him to it.

“Have you looked into the clan’s history _at all_?” Reginald asked. There was a sharp bite to his words, an accusation.

Henry just looked frustrated, heatedly signing his response.

(No? Why?)

“ _Reg_ ,” Right said, and the man calmed down and leaned back in his seat. Right fixed Henry a level stare. It appears he’d have to be mediator in this discussion. He’d have to put his personal feelings aside. “Bluebird left because of verbal abuse from the chief before Reginald. You’re wearing that chief’s hat. You became chief through a violent take-over, an’ now you want to go with us to retrieve a former clan member that’s asking for our help… Bluebird won’t take the news well.”

Henry rose from his seat about to voice his objection. Right beat him to it, standing up and marching over to stand eye-to-eye with Henry.

The other tried to meet his gaze, but wavered at the stern, unflinching gaze Right directed at him.

“She’s _family._ I won’t stop you if you want to tag along, but you’d best keep your head down when we go pick her up,” He said and looked over at Reginald as he turned around and walked back to his seat. “Now, are we all gonna play nice, or I am rescuing my sister by myself?”

Henry looked surprised at that. “Sister?”

Right shrugged. “Lora Wright, my twin, former magic teacher in the Civilian Division,” He looked around the room. “If you two can’t agree on this, I’m going to get her by myself. Toppats ‘elp our own, even those who have left the clan.”

“Fine…” Henry huffed and sat down.

Henry was used to things going his way, Right observed. No one in the clan had yet to question his role as the leader. Reginald may have thrown a few hissy fits behind the chief’s back, but even he had enough sense to just follow orders, to keep his head down.

Right knew Henry wasn’t nearly as reckless with his heists as Terrence, as they followed Reginald’s plans most of the time. But Stickmin was getting comfortable with his place at the top of the clan, he was starting to push his weight around, starting to take charge.

Terrence had started out like that too and it was worrying that Right could even draw parallels between the two.

Burt just looked awkward. “So… I only have a rough idea of where she is…”

“Where?” Reginald asked.

“Australia…”

Right nodded. “Can you get in touch with her? We’ll need to point her towards a safe house so we can pick her up undetected.”

“About that… I haven’t been able to establish communication since the emergency transmission.”

“Must be bad if she’s ghostin’ us,” Right mused. “might be best if I track her down myself.”

“It would be safer,” Reginald agreed. “She’ll listen to you.”

“How long will it take?” Henry asked.

Right blinked. “A few days, since we’re headed to the launch site, I can bring her straight to the rocket.”

Henry nodded, significantly calmer.

(We need Reginald for organising the rest of the launch preparations. A magic expert would be useful for future heists.)

Right bit back the urge to point out the Civilian Division was for non-combatants and just nodded. “You approve of her re-joining?”

Henry nodded curtly.

The meeting was quickly adjourned, and Reginald sidled up to his left side as Right exited the room.

“I take it this hasn’t happened before?’

Right shook his head. “Been a lot of new things happenin’ lately,” he reached into his coat pocket and showed Reginald the red notebook. “This appeared in m’room last night. Lora sent it.”

Reginald flipped thought the book as they walked. “You think she’s wrapped up in this time travel business too.”

“Yeah… not too sure about these new _friends_ of hers either.”

Reginald brushed his hand against Right, smirking. “You’re worried.”

Right grabbed Reginald’s hand in his own.

“Yeah…” the cyborg admitted quietly.

“Would it help if I offered to handle these newcomers of yours?” Reginald said and held up the book in his free hand.

“You’re busy with the rocket launch, I can’t ask you to do more than that.”

“Nonsense, you’ll be busy looking for Lora and I doubt these curious individuals will wait for you to return. I can entertain them in the meantime.”

Right made a noise.

“Come now Right, you can’t handle all of this by yourself, let me help you.” Reginald said.

Right sighed. “You got a point, but I’m… not likin’ the idea of leavin’ you alone with this lot yet. ‘Sides, I can try to use the book to contact Lora.”

“Very well, how long until you leave?”

Right ran through the numbers, taking stock of what needs to be done. “…Need to make sure I’m fully charged, check my maintenance equipment, an’ stock some food for the trip. That’ll take a few hours to sort out.”

“Would you like some help?” Reginald asked as they walked hand-in-hand. “I have the time.”

Right smiled at him. “Could always use the company.”


	4. I am the Bluebird 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, to participate. copy and paste the link below into your web browser. (I accept anonymous asks_)
> 
> https://askrighthandrecollections.tumblr.com/

The underground complex was a maze of concrete hallways and corridors. Lora’s scuffed runners thumped against the ground as she ran, her dark blue coat swishing behind her as her magic thrummed beneath her skin.

She turned a corner and ducked into a room, closing the door behind her. Trying to quiet her racing heart and panting for breath, she took in her new surroundings.

“A broom cupboard….”

The tense silence was interrupted by the tinkling of bells from her the inside of her coat.

“No, no, no. _Shhh!_ ” she hissed and withdrew a small blue notebook with a silver heart emblazoned on the cover.

There was a new note inside.

> _zoeyandguys,_
> 
> _Lora, if you get this message, how do you and Right Hand Man have magic? And Are you ok right now?_

“I am running on four hours of sleep, deep within the CCC Sydney HQ, and I am not ok!” Lora rambled, an almost manic grin that was more of a bearing of teeth. “I am anything but okay!”

She took a shaky breath. “I can freak out later…I need to pass the time while I wait for the guards to change shift anyway.”

She found an old milk crate to sit on, fanning out the back of her coat as she did. She looked pensive as she spoke.

“Magic is… rare, at least rare in cases of people being born with it. Anyone can learn magic in theory, most don’t because there’s hardly a need or use for it,” She explained. “I picked up spellcraft to compensate for my vision impairment.”

She tapped the left lens of her glasses, the eye behind them was unfocused. “I’m blind in my left eye, vision impaired in my right, hence the glasses. Red picked up a few tricks of his own out of interest in the topic as well to protect me.”

She mulled over her next choice of words. “I learned more after we parted ways though…” There was something cold in her gaze as she stared at the wall, something prowling beneath the surface. “You don’t live through Terrence Suave’s Reign of Terror without learning to bare your own teeth.”

Lora blinked, and whatever had been plaguing her was gone for the moment. “Now then, I suppose introductions are in order!” she hopped up, adjusted her hat, and struck a pose, holding the lapels of her coat. “I’m Lora Wright, also known as Bluebird the Kind.”

She frowned. “I don’t think that title fits me anymore…Eh, I can worry about that later. So! I got time to kill, Ask away folks!”

In a voice so quiet it almost wasn’t heard she added. “Anything to take my mind off of things…”


	5. Update 23/2/21

To the people who like this, who read this, who _want to see more_

_[Please Go To The Tumblr And Participate](https://askrighthandrecollections.tumblr.com/) _

This series relies on audience participation. Without questions, without interest, this series is dead in the water.

I'm aware I'm potentially asking for a lot, and I'm sorry about this. I know you expected an update instead of this. But thee won't be an update until I get more questions for the characters.


	6. I am the Bluebird 2

> _Anon,_
> 
> _Hi Lora. What would you have wanted to be if not a tophat?_

Lora stared at the message for a moment. She struggled to recall the days before joining the clan, before Terrence, before _everything._

“I don’t know…” she said softly. “If I’m not under Terrence’s boot, I’m leashed by the CCC.”

She smiled ruefully. “I never told you why I’m here in this facility did I? I’m not strong like Red, I’m not smart like Reginald. I’m just… me. It wasn’t long before they caught me, I thought maybe I could outrun them this time.”

She plopped herself down onto the concrete floor. Grey magic danced around her form. “I got out of my cell easily enough but getting back to the surface is going to be difficult. The place is crawling with staff, there’s a ton of different security measures, and it’s not like I can bust my way out like the guys can.”

She looked down at her lap. “I don’t know where’d I’d be without my place in the clan. Maybe a certified magic specialist? That’d be nice,” she heaved out a sigh. “I doubt it though, with how high of a chaos rating Red and I have, it was the Toppats or CCC monitoring for us.”

She pulled out her mobile to check the time. “Hey, since I still have some time to kill, can you guys answer a question for me? Is my brother alright? How did Reginald lose his position as chief?” she put her phone away, fiddling with a loose strand of hair. “I’ve been trying not to think about it, but I’m honestly worried about them, if Reginald got overthrown… The new chief might not take too well to someone like me.”

[Click Here to participate in the ask blog](https://askrighthandrecollections.tumblr.com/)


	7. Words on a Page 2/I am the Bluebird 3

Right busied himself with checking the contents of the large backpack he planned on taking with him. He could hear Reginald flipping though the notebook as the man sat on Right’s bed.

“Oh look, there’s a message for me,” Reginald mused and read it aloud. “ _Hey Reginald, what do you think of this Time Loop situation?_ ”

“You gonna reply?” Right asked, looking up to see Reginald twirling a pen in one hand. His partner smirked.

“It would be rude if I didn’t,” the former leader said, and put pen to paper, dictating his response as he did. “ _Truth be told, I’m more worried about Right being in such a predicament than the situation itself. Since I don’t retain my memories my Right Hand Man has no guarantee that I will assist him when he returns to the past._ ”

Right blinked at him. “Reg, it’s fine. I haven’t ‘ad any problems convincing you so far…”

“When I’m the chief yes, you have yet to inform me of your situation when we’re both under Terrence’s rule, and there’s every chance my younger self may not believe you should you try,” Reginald countered, putting the pen in one of many pouches on the leather utility belt he wore. With Henry in charge, the former leader had returned to a far more casual style of attire. A dark green shirt, brown pants, and his old utility belt alongside his grey hat and his black leather gloves. “I worry a younger version of myself may hurt your feelings… or do any number of foolish things…”

Right snorted. “So, you were an idiot ten years ago, you still ‘ad more sense than me an’ I’m just happy spending time with you. Doesn’t matter if we’re starting from square one all the time, it’s you I care about, not our relationship Reg…”

Reginald smiled softly at the remark. “Yes well, one of us has to worry about this whole mess you’re in.”

Right performed one last check of the items he packed. A small, solar powered portable charger for his cybernetics, some food, a few bottles of water, and a tent. Zipping the bag up, he got up and left it on the floor. He pointed at the book. “Any new ones for me?”

Reginald held out the book. “Take a look for yourself.”

With a raised brow, the cyborg accepted the book and read the new message.

> _Steampunkserpent,_
> 
> _Yo Right Hand man, what do you think if dipping fries in milkshakes and then eating it? Kinda like dipping fries in ketchup, for context._

Wordlessly, Right pulled out his pen.

> _I’ve had a milkshake after eating chips, can’t say I’ve combined them like that though. Sounds interesting._

He sat down and showed his response to Reginald, who grinned.

The good mood didn’t last, Right sagged, staring down at his lap. “We need to get in contact with Lora, she might be caught up in this time loop too.”

“Are you sure?”

Right nodded and gestured at the book. “She’s never gotten in touch with the clan before now, something’s up.”

* * *

Lora stared at her notebook. Worry, shock, and dread swirled around her mind in a violent storm of emotions.

> _Anon,_
> 
> _I mean, Right is technically fine, only he's half metal now, and Reginald got dethroned by a guy called Henry Stickmin, heard of him before? On a different note, the three of them are aware of you being in trouble thanks to Burt and Henry is fine with both finding you and having you re-join the Toppats if you wish to do so._

“What?” she said meekly. “Half metal?”

She scrambled to find something in her coat pocket and pulled out an old mobile phone and a piece of paper with a phone number written on it in her brother’s familiar handwriting. Fighting against the slowly mounting panic, she dialled the number and held the phone up to her left ear silently praying it was still valid.

* * *

The two men were surprised when a ringtone blared loudly from the inside of Right’s coat. The cyborg fumbled to pull out a battered phone and answered it.

“’Ello?”

Right was stunned at hearing his sister say his name in near panic. _“- are you alright? I got told you’re half metal!”_

“’M fine Lora, just a bit banged up, had to get cybernetic enhancements to compensate. I’m fine.” Right stressed and Reginald looked just as surprised as Right felt.

_“Cybernetics? Holy shit…How bad is it?”_

“… The left side of my head, right arm, everything from the waist down, an’ most of my digestive system…” Right admitted. “Doubles as life support.”

_“Oh my God… Okay, okay, I’ll just…”_

“Loz? Hey, I’m alright,” Right said reassuringly. “I’ve got permission to bring you back to the clan, where are you?”

 _“You are in no shape to come save my arse,”_ Lora replied, sounding worried. _“I’ll come to you.”_

Right was confused. “How?”

_“I still have my magic Red.”_

Right had a sinking feeling he knew exactly what she was going to do. “Lora, don’t, just get somewhere safe, we’ll send someone to pick you up.”

* * *

Lora could feel her magic reacting to her heightened levels of stress and worry. The urge to do something, to help, was almost all-consuming.

 _“I’m fine.”_ Her brother stressed.

“You’re not fine! I’m not going to put your health at risk for my sake!” she argued.

There was a noise on the other end, a brief exchange of words she couldn’t hear, and the sound of the phone being handed to someone else.

“ _Lora,”_ Reginald said seriously. _“What are you planning, your brother is worried sick.”_

“…My Shadow, I plan on calling upon my Shadow.” She explained. Her brother had his Spirit, whereas she had her Shadow.

 _“The current chief has no idea what you’re capable of, if he learns you can transform…”_ Reginald trailed off. _“You’re not meant for the battlefield.”_

“I don’t _care_ what the chief thinks,” Lora said. “You and Red are my priority, not some god damn ding-dong that took over the clan for shits and giggles.”

_“Are you sure you can return to normal once you reach the airship?”_

“Reg, embracing my Shadow doesn’t make me lose my marbles, I’m still me in there.” She said matter-of-factly.

_“I know… very well, I’ll clear the cargo bay and hopefully our esteemed leader takes this all in stride… Stay safe, it’ll be good to have you back with us Bluebird.”_

“I’ll do my best Greenbean, look after Red for me.”

_“Of course.”_

Lora hung up, checked the time, and tucked the phone back into the inside of her coat. She focused on keeping her breathing calm as her mind went a mile a minute, her magic thrummed along to the beat of her heart, and she struggled to keep her emotions under control.

“Okay… I’ve got to grab my bag from where they locked it up in storage, get the hell out of here, and get to the airship on the other side of the world,” she said to herself as she walked towards the exit. “I can do this…I’m just, running away, with magic, I can do that. Always running from something.”

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